The following graph summarises trends by comparing 1995/97 to 2007/09. If the marker has moved towards the centre that particular indicator has worsened eg obesity has worsened, voter turnout has dropped and housing affordability has decreased. On the positive side, with the marker moving away from the centre, road deaths have improved (declined), suicide has declined as has cigarette smoking. Some indicators that show as positive are somewhat debatable I think. Higher participation in tertiary education and local content of TV for instance. Is more of either necessarily an improvement?
Much of the info is a rehash from earlier reports awaiting updating through other surveys or the next census. Overall it paints a fairly positive picture of New Zealand which seems somewhat at odds with the way life is portrayed in the media or by various groups. For example hazardous drinking is unchanged yet we are constantly bombarded by claims that it has worsened markedly. And the road toll has become an obsession yet it is improving. This happens because hysteria sells and thousands of people have livelihoods that rely on the preservation of industries that revolve around 'poverty' or 'obesity' or being 'anti-alcohol' or 'anti-tobacco'.
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